‘Dukes’ Star Tom Wopat Sits for a Spell With L.A. Philharmonic

Yee-Ha! What’s one of the former “Dukes of Hazzard” stars doing at the Hollywood Bowl tonight--and with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, no less?

In Tom Wopat’s case, he’ll be wrapping up a two-evening stint as vocal soloist, performing a roundup of classic Western film and television themes. And while he may be forever stereotyped as good ol’ boy Luke Duke, whom he portrayed in the 1978-85 television series, Wopat, 39, was a singer-musician long before taking up residence in Hazzard County. During the show’s run, he toured with his own band and now spends about two-thirds of the year on the road here and in Europe, singing and playing guitar with his contemporary country-styled Full Moon Band.

Wopat began singing orchestra pops concerts two years ago. “Obviously, this is a lot more ‘legit,’ ” he says. “It’s also a lot tougher, because my band pretty much takes its cues from me. In an orchestra situation, I have to really pay attention, because there’s no way the conductor is going to bring the whole orchestra to catch up with me.”

Wopat really went legit during the first six months of this year, when he replaced James Naughton as the hard-boiled detective Stone in the Broadway musical “City of Angels.” He had made his Broadway debut in 1978 in “I Love My Wife,” and in 1986 starred in “Carousel” at the Kennedy Center.

“The vocal production, the training I’ve had applies to everything,” he says of his diverse activities. “ ‘City of Angels’ had swing music of the ‘40s. When I came back here (to Nashville, where he now lives) on my day off to record an album, some swing really helped.”

That album, “Learning to Love,” is Wopat’s fourth; the title cut is his maiden songwriting effort. Another song from the album, “Too Many Honky Tonks (On My Way Home),” is moving up the country charts.

Having starred in two short-lived series post-”Dukes”--”Blue Skies” in 1988 and “Peaceable Kingdom” the following year--Wopat is in no hurry to return to weekly television. “There’s nothing on TV I want to be in,” he says. “Except maybe ‘The Simpsons.’ ”